Jody, Cooper, and Charlie
by KilmerFrog45
Summary: Part One is COMPLETE!!! I'm working on Part 2, several chapters are up now, and several more will be posted soon! Keep reading and reviewing!!! =:^)
1. Part 1: The News

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie

Friday, April 6th, 2001

Chapter 1: The News

****~~****~~****~~****~~****~~****~~****~~****

Jody had just broken up with Cooper, what she thought was the biggest mistake of her life at the time, and decided to try out a romance out with Charlie. Charlie was sweet, and he obviously cared for her a lot, and he was hot too.

She was a principle dancer in Cooper's new company for a whole year without much happening. She went out with Charlie the whole time until she decided she couldn't stand being away from Cooper any longer.She broke up with Charlie. He took it really hard, because it was obvious that he loved her. He didn't speak to her for a week, but they eventually became friends again. Things would never be the same between them. He moved away to go to another ballet company and only talked to Jody about once a year.

Jody wasted no time in getting back with Cooper. Cooper might be annoying and jerkish at some times, but when he was with Jody, he was anybody's perfect guy. Jody felt like the specialist girl in the world when she was with him. He had the best smile in the world too.

She and Cooper went out for 3 years before Jody ever saw Charlie again. She was laying in her bed next to Cooper in their apartment early in the morning on Saturday. She reluctantly pulled out of his arms and got dressed. Cooper got up about 10 minutes later, but had to go to work all day. Jody had the day off.

She stretched and warmed up anyway, and then ate a small breakfast. She was reading a book on the couch when the phone rang. She let the answering machine get it.

"Hey. This is Cooper and Jody's. Please leave a message at the beep!...... BEEP"

"Oh, hi, Jody...... Cooper. It's Charlie. I'm not sure why I called. I, uh, just wanted to catch up I guess. Well, you can call me back if you wanna chat. You know my number. Bye.........uh, yeah. Bye Jody."

Jody dropped her book and replayed the message 3 times. She missed his voice so much. She wanted to call him back, but she knew Cooper would find out and go into one of his jealous rages and rip up paper. He always ripped up paper when he was mad, Jody actually thought that it was sorta funny, but she never let it show.

She played the message one more time and ran to find her address book. She found Charlie's number and stared at it for several minutes before picking up the cordless phone. She stared at the phone before pressing the "on" button.She shut the phone book and dialed the familiar number she had kept in her head all these years.

"Hello?" Charlie's sweet voice answered.

"Charlie! It's Jody!" she said, trying not to shout.

"Hey." Charlie said. Jody could tell in his voice he was 10 times more excited than he sounded, he was just trying to hide it. She could almost hear him smiling. "So, you got my message?"

"Yes. I'm soooo glad you called. I've missed you. So, did you figure out why you called?"

"Well," Charlie said, "I guess it was sort of because I'm coming back."

"Coming back where? Here? You're coming here?"

"Yes." Charlie said, almost making it sound like a question.

"That's GREAT Charlie. We have to get together while you are here. When are you coming? How long are you staying?" Jody asked, not even realizing what problems this might cause with Cooper, who she had fallen in love with more than a year ago. None of that mattered now. She was going to get to see Charlie again. Sweet, loving, fun Charlie. She couldn't be happier.

"I'll be there next week. I'm not just visiting though, Jody. I'm moving back. To stay." Charlie said, still a bit reluctant to say any of this. He knew Jody loved Cooper. He knew Cooper loved Jody. But he also knew that he love Jody, and wasn't sure if he could stand seeing her with Cooper, in love. That's why he was sure this move would be suicide to his heart. But he had to do it. For his career. For his heart. If he couldn't see Jody in love with him, at least he'd be able to see Jody. He missed her so much.

"Charlie! That's wonderful! That's great! How come you sound so sad about it though? Aren't you happy you're coming home?"

"Yes, I couldn't be more happy. Except, what about Cooper? Won't he start, you know, buying 7 packages of computer paper and ripping it all again? Won't he get jealous if you even look at me?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Charlie." Jody said sarcastically, "But really, Charlie. I'll just explain to Cooper that we really are just friends. Who knows? Maybe he'll only kill one tree this time instead of one million." Jody said, and then she laughed."Well, ok. I gotta go. My mom is supposed to call right about know. She wants to help me pack. But I already packed up everything, so hopefully she won't have to come. Bye Jody. Tell Coop I say 'Hi'. On second thought, don't. Bye." Charlie said. He was really just looking for an excuse to get off the phone. His heart had dropped to his toes when she said that they were only friends. Besides, he didn't know how much more longer he could go on talking to Jody before he told her everything about how he felt. So he hung up.

"Bye Charlie." Jody said, but he had already hung up. When she realized he wasn't on the phone anymore, she added, "Love you."

Jody fell back on the couch and hit herself on the head with the book. She lay there for another hour thinking about the mess she was about to get in before getting up.

When she did, she went into her room and dug through the old chest her grandfather had giving her. When she found the old photo album, she plopped down on the double bed she and Cooper had shared for 2 years and opened it.The first picture was of her, Eva, and Maureen, her old roommates. She flipped through the book until she found the one of her and Charlie.

They were sitting on a bench with lots of trees behind them. Jody had been wearing a short, navy blue skirt and a light blue tube top. Charlie was wearing khaki shorts that came down to his knees, and an orange tee. Jody was sitting on Charlie's lap, smiling at the camera. Charlie was looking a Jody with his cute face and deep eyes.Jody took out the picture and stared at it, remembering that day.

~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**

She, Charlie, and the rest of the gang (Eva, Maureen, Erik and Sergei) had gone to the park on a Sunday afternoon for a walk. Eva kept taking pictures of everything, trees, animals, and the gang. She and Charlie sat down on the bench while everyone else sat on the swings. They started kissing and pretty soon Eva was taking pictures. They only posed for one, the one that Eva had given Jody, and the rest were of them kissing.

~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**

Jody smiled and put the picture back in the book, and put the book back in the chest. She locked up the chest and dialed Cooper's cell phone number. She hung up after the 2nd ring, not sure why she had called him.

She lay back down on the bed and fell asleep. She dreamed that she was married to Charlie. Then Cooper came and broke them up. Then Jody married Cooper and Charlie killed himself. She woke up in fright and called Charlie again."Charlie here." he said.

"Charlie, Charlie. It's Jody. I just had the worst dream. Charlie, Oh, it was horrible." she said, trying not to cry."What was is Jody?" Charlie asked sweetly.

"Well I dreamed I was married to you. But that's not the bad part. So, I was married to you and then Cooper came and we got a divorce. I married Cooper and here comes the worst part. Charlie, you killed yourself because I married Cooper. It was so horrible, Charlie!" Jody said, and started to cry.

"Jody? Please don't cry. I'm still here. Jody? Oh, Jody, I wish I were with you right now. To hold you, and to make sure you were ok. Jody I miss you so much. Are you ok?" Charlie said, realizing dangerously late how much he had just revealed.

His sweetness only made Jody cry more, and she realized how much Charlie still loved her. She couldn't handle it all at once, so she hung up on Charlie.

She sat on the couch, and fell over onto the couch so she was lying down. She cried herself to sleep and didn't wake up again until Cooper came home.He walked around the house quietly, so as not to wake her. She woke up anyway. Cooper made them his homemade pizza for dinner and they ate it with out mention of Jody's emotional adventure of the day.


	2. Part 1: The Arrival

Chapter 2: The Arrival

Jody waited nervously by the door in the airport. Charlie would walk through the door any minute now, and Jody couldn't be more excited or nervous.

Charlie walked through the door. He was wearing khaki pants and a blue Hawaii print shirt. He was carrying a black backpack. He looked around and saw Jody starring at him. She looked so happy. He ran up to her and dropped his stuff on the floor. He hugged her and kissed her on the check. "Jody! You look great! I've missed you!" Charlie said.

"Hi Charlie!" Jody said. She was unbelievably happy to see Charlie, but she wasn't sure how to show it, so she just hugged him again, for a long time. "Oh, I've missed you so much Charlie!"

Charlie was finding it unbelievably hard not kiss Jody. She just looked so good. She smelled even better and she was so hot. He had to use all of his mind force to keep from kissing her.

Jody hugged Charlie some more and then they got the rest of Charlie's luggage. Then they ate lunch at one of the small restaurants at the airport.

After lunch, Jody led Charlie to her car in the parking garage and helped him put his stuff in her car truck and back seat. Then she slid into the driver's seat and Charlie sat in the passenger seat.

When they got to Jody's apartment, she showed Charlie the guestroom and said that Cooper was out at work.

When Cooper got home he took Jody in his arms and started kissing her. Charlie had finished unpacking his suitcase and walked out into the living room/den and saw Jody and Cooper kissing. He felt like a bullet had just been put in his heart. He coughed to announce his presence and Jody pulled away from Cooper, blushing slightly. "Oh hey Charlie. You remember Cooper right?" Jody said.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Hey Coop." Charlie said, and abruptly turned around and went back into the room he'd be staying in until he found his own apartment. He shut the door and plopped down on the bed, thinking about how stupid this move was. He loved Jody so much, but she loved Cooper. He knew if he ever was going to make this move work, he had to get away from Jody and Cooper, before his heart exploded.

Jody knocked on Charlie's door. He got up and opened the door.

"Cooper went out to get us some pizza. He'll be back in about 45 minutes. It's really far away." Jody said.

"Ok." Charlie said. Suddenly he grabbed Jody and started kissing her. He could feel Jody kissing him back, and he pulled he down on to the bed, where they sat kissing for 20 minutes. Jody pulled away and blushed. Then she got up and left the room. Charlie lay back down on the bed and hit himself in the head with his hand several times.

Jody went into her room and kneeled on the floor by the bed. She cried for about 10 minutes and then she got up onto the bed and lay down.

Cooper came in the front door. "Dinner!" he yelled.

Charlie came out of his room first. He greeted Cooper with a hostile handshake, they were both very jealous and competitive of each other. Then Jody appeared from her room. She barely glanced at Charlie, but she hugged and kissed Cooper immediately.

Cooper opened the pizza box and handed out plates. They ate the pizza and watched tv for an hour. Then Charlie got up and went back into his room. Cooper and Jody started kissing again, and Charlie peeked out and saw them.

When it was almost 10pm, Cooper and Jody walked hand in hand into their room. Charlie glared out of his door as he watched them. He got undressed and put on his sleeping pants and crawled into his empty double bed (he didn't wear shirts when he slept). He lay there thinking for hours about the mess he had just mad for himself.

Suddenly, his door opened and Jody peeked in. "Are you awake?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes, I'm still awake." Charlie said.

"May I come in?"

"Yes." Charlie said.

Jody walked in. Charlie couldn't help but notice that she was only wearing a dark green bra and tight blue biker shorts. She sat down at the end of the bed. "I know I can talk to you. I can't talk to Coop because he'll get mad or jealous or something. But I know I can talk to you without you going completely insane. So, what are we going to do? About all this I mean. With me and Coop, me and you, you and Coop. What are we going to do?"

Charlie gulped and began to talk. "Well, you love Cooper. Cooper definatly loves you. So where does that leave it?"

"What about you? How do you feel about Cooper? About me?" Jody asked, thinking out her words carefully before she said them.

Charlie blushed, but in the dark room, Jody didn't notice. "Well," Charlie said, "I'm not exactly friends with Cooper, and I am friends with you." Charlie said.

"No, really Charlie, please, tell me how you really feel. I won't hate you or anything. Please?"

"Well, I, uh, like you as a friend, love you as a friend, like you as a really good friend, love you as a really good friend, like you as-"

"Charlie! If you won't tell me, I'm going to leave now." Jody threatened.

"Jody? I like you. I really like you. I just, I don't know. Jody? I love you. I love you more every second. I can't stand it because I know you don't love me, but I can't help it Jody. I've loved you since I met you in Sergei and Erik's room. I love you." Charlie blurted out.

"Ok." Jody said and got up, left, and shut the door behind her.


	3. Part 1: The Bracelet

Chapter 3: The Bracelet

Charlie woke up early the next morning and had cold, left over pizza for breakfast. He got dressed and left a note for Jody on the kitchen counter.

Jody and Cooper, 

Hey. I've gone out for a while, so don't worry. I'm fine. I'll be back after lunch sometime. See you then, bye.

~Charlie

He put on his coat, grabbed his wallet, and walked out the door. He went down to the first floor and walked out of the building. He hailed a cab and told the driver to take him to a small jewelry store, next to a park about a half-hour away.

When he got dropped off, he went into the small jewelry store, Aldin's Jewel Shop, and looked around. He saw a bunch of bracelets with names engraved on them. He looked at them and saw EVA on one of them. He hadn't seen Eva in more than a year. He'd have to get together with her once he got his own apartment. He looked around more and saw a beautiful one with JODY engraved on the gold nameplate. It cost $197, but he bought it anyway. He only had $40 left over for lunch and the cabs, so he went to the small playground park next door. 

He sat down on one of the three benches and looked at the bracelet in the leather box he received free from the cute saleswoman. He tried to figure out how he would give it to her. He couldn't even look at her now that he had told her his big secret. He didn't even know how Jody felt about him. He didn't know how she felt about the way he felt about her. He looked at the bracelet again, snapped the box shut, and put it in his coat pocket.

He sighed and went over to the empty swing set. He sat there remembering the day in the park with the gang when he was kissing Jody. He still had the picture Eva had given him of that day. He wondered if Jody still had it, but decided she probably ripped it up and threw it away when she broke up with Charlie. That break up was the second hardest thing in the world for Charlie to get over. His love for Jody and this move was the hardest thing.

A bunch of little kids ran out of a van and attacked Charlie when he stood up. He picked on of them up and whirled him around, until he was laughing so hard he almost dropped him. All the kids wanted to be twirled around, so her had to pick up and twirl 24 kids before he could leave the park.

He wasn't very dizzy, so he hailed a cab and went to a coffee shop and had a salad for lunch. After lunch he hailed yet another cab and went back to Jody's apartment.

When he walked in (Jody had given him a key), he saw Jody asleep on the couch. She looked so peaceful and happy there. Charlie smiled and just looked at her for a while. When she blinked and looked up at Charlie, he immediately ran into his room and locked the door.

He sat down on the floor by his bed and waited for Jody to do something, anything. 

She knocked on his door. He just sat there, completely silent. She knocked again and tried to open the door, but found it was locked. Charlie could hear her footsteps walking away, and then back to his door. She put a key in the keyhole and turned the door knob. She walked in and found Charlie sitting crossed legged on the floor by his bed.

"Hello Charlie." Jody said.

Charlie smiled and stood up. "I'm surprised you're talking to me."

"How could I not? You're like my best friend. You have no idea how much I've missed you." Jody said.

Charlie's smile grew bigger, and then went away completely. "No offence, but I have a feeling I missed you more."

Jody nodded. "I think you probably did. Come here." She said.

Charlie walked over to Jody, who was beginning to cry and she hugged him. They hugged for almost 5 minutes until Jody pulled away from his grip. She whipped the tears from her face and smiled at Charlie. He didn't smile back, and Jody looked into his deep eyes. She searched them for something, and found fear and uncertainty. She hugged him again and said, "Charlie, I love Cooper. You know that. I have loved him for more than a year. But I have also missed you. I've missed you for more than a year. I thought it was impossible being away from Cooper, but compared to being away from you, it's nothing. I have missed you more than I ever knew I could miss anything or anyone. Last night you told me how you really feel. At first I was, well, I don't know. I just couldn't think right. And then I got mad at my self. I was so mad at myself for ever breaking up with you. I blamed myself. I'm sorry I hurt you Charlie. I can't stand to see you so hurt. Please forgive me."

Charlie took this all in very slowly, and eventually said, "I love you Jody. I have missed you too. You don't need to blame yourself, you really shouldn't. It's not your fault. And Jody, yes. I forgive you." He said.

Jody smiled and kissed him on the check. "Thank you." She said, and walked out of the room.

Charlie followed her. "Wait! Jody, I need to know something."

Jody turned around and cautiously said, "Yes?"

"I need to know how you feel. How you feel about me. How you feel about the way I feel about you. I just, I need to know." Charlie said

Jody gulped. "Charlie, to be perfectly honest, I don't know. I don't know how I feel about you. Or how I feel about the way you feel about me. I need some time. Ok?"

"Ok." Charlie said, coolly, trying not to show his anger, sadness, excitement, and everything else he was feeling right then. He turned around, went back into his room, and fell asleep on the bed, dreaming about how wonderful it would be if she loved him too, though he knew that would never happen.

Jody went into her room and locked the door. She plopped down on the bed and thought about the whole Charlie thing for a while. Pretty soon, she fell asleep.

When Cooper got home, he found Charlie sleeping on the bed in his room, wearing only boxers, with Jody snuggled up in his arms, wearing only a bra, Charlie's boxers, and a bracelet that said JODY on it.


	4. Part 1: The Battle

****

Chapter 4: The Battle

Cooper sat on the couch for 2 hours before Jody emerged from Charlie's room. She didn't notice Cooper as she walked into the bathroom to take a shower. Charlie walked out of his room, smiling, until he saw Cooper. His smile faded and he slunk back into his room. It was too late. Cooper had already seen him come out.

"Come back out here, Charlie. I have a question." Cooper growled at Charlie.

"Yeah?" Charlie said, sounding amazingly cool.

Cooper stood up and walked over to Charlie. "What's your problem?" he asked.

"Excuse me?" Charlie said

"You slept with my girlfriend, you ass-hole!!!" Cooper said, and punched Charlie in the nose. 

Charlie's nose began to bleed and he ran into the bathroom. He didn't realize that Jody was in there, because the door wasn't locked. He looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. He noticed that the shower was going. "Jody?" Charlie asked.

"Charlie? What are you doing?" Jody shouted to heard over the water.

"Oh, uh, nothing." he said. He didn't want to go back out there with Cooper, so he locked the door, shut the toilet lid, and sat down on it. He waited about 10 minutes for Jody, watching her shadow on the shower curtain.

"Charlie," Jody asked a while later, just after she turned off the water, "are you still out there?"

"Yes." Charlie said, whipping his bloody nose with a piece of toilet paper.

"Can you hand me the red towel hanging on the door?" she asked him.

"Sure." Charlie said. He got up, took the towel, and hung it over the bar that was holding up the closed curtain.

"Thanks." She said. She pulled back the curtain a minute later and climbed over the wall of the tub (they didn't have a shower stall, but a shower head water spay thing had been installed over the tub). She looked at Charlie's bloody face and chest (he was still just wearing boxers) and gasped. "Charlie, what happened?"

"Cooper." Charlie said, suddenly annoyed again.

"What? Why? What happened?" Jody asked, concerned.

"He knows Jody. I don't know how, I guess he walked in after we had fallen asleep. He just came up to me and said, 'You slept with my girlfriend, you ass-hole!', and then he punched me." Charlie said, shrugging it off as if it were no big deal. Jody could tell that he felt differently on the inside than he showed on the outside.

"Let me go out and talk to him. You get cleaned up, ok?" Jody said. Charlie nodded in agreement and kissed her before she left.

He peeked out through the door and saw Cooper take the towel off of Jody and kiss her. Charlie waited for Jody to do something, but when she didn't, his heart sank and a frown appeared on his face. He was just about to shut the door and mope around the bathroom in self-pity when Jody frantically pulled back from Cooper. She sought her breath and starred at Cooper for a minute before slapping him. She ran into Charlie's room crying. Cooper tried to open the door, but it was locked and Jody had hidden the key.

Charlie hurried and cleaned his face off. Then he opened the bath room door and saw Cooper siting on the edge of the couch, his head in his hands, and his fingers in his perfect dirty blond hair. He had red finger marks on his check and he looked like he might cry. Charlie felt sorry for him for about a half a second before changing his mind and stepping boldly out into the main room. Cooper didn't seem to notice him, so Charlie walked all the way over to his door.

He pretended that he didn't know Jody was in there, and tried to open the door with the doorknob. When the door didn't budge, he knocked lightly on the door. "Jody?" he whispered.

The door opened and Charlie stepped in, shut, and locked the door behind him. Jody was lying back on the bed crying into Charlie's pillow, now wearing one of Charlie's big tee shirts and some of his soccer shorts. Charlie sat down on the bed and rubbed her back until she settled down. Then she sat up and hugged him. They kissed for a while, and then Jody carefully crept out Charlie's room, into her own to change. Cooper hadn't moved and didn't notice Jody either.

When Jody returned all of Charlie's clothing, she went out and sat down next to Cooper on the couch. "Don't touch me." Cooper warned her.

Jody didn't touch him. "Are you okay?" she asked, even though the answer was pretty obvious.

"What? No. I'm not. You slept with Charlie." Cooper said.

"Cooper, I need to tell you something." Jody said. Cooper thought he knew what she was going to say, and Jody saw his face drop. "We need to break up. I'm sorry. But I love Charlie. I realized that I have always loved Charlie. I'm sorry. But I also realized that I never loved you."

Cooper breathed in deeply and slowly exhaled. Jody could tell he was trying not to cry and she put her arm around him. "You okay?" she asked again. Cooper shrugged off her grip and stood up. He grabbed his coat, opened the door, and left.

Jody sighed and lay down on the couch. She fell asleep and didn't wake up until the next morning. When she woke up, she played with her new bracelet. Charlie had given yesterday, right after she had proclaimed her love to him. It was the nicest thing she had ever received from anyone, and she knew it had to have been pretty expensive.

She got changed, stretched, and ate a banana. She peeked in on Charlie and mentally kissed him. Then she checked to see if Cooper was in the room that they had shared for so long. He wasn't. Jody knew that Cooper would never get up this early, so she figured that he had never come home last night. This worried her, but she had to go to work, so she grabbed her coat and left, hoping to see Cooper at work.

When she reached Cooper's ballet company, she walked to his office. The light was on, so she walked in. Cooper was sitting at his small desk, taping his fingers. She noticed that the trashcan was full of ripped paper. Cooper nodded at her and Jody smiled. "Listen Cooper, I'm really sorry about last night. I really don't want to hurt you, because even I don't love you as a boyfriend, I still love you as a friend. I hope we can still be friends. Can we?" Jody asked hopefully.

Cooper shrugged, got up out of the chair and left the room. Jody sighed and sulked into her warm up room.

When she got home neither Charlie nor Cooper were home, but both had left her notes on he counter.

=======================================================================

Jody,

I'm out looking for a new apartment. I figure you and Charlie should live in this one, because it's less of a fuss that way. I'll be back later. I'm still not sure about the friend thing. Sorry. Bye!

~Coop

=======================================================================

=======================================================================

Jody My Love, 

How are you this beautiful day? I woke up this morning and you were gone, and so was Cooper. I'm at Cooper's company, but I probably won't see you. I was told that the audition room is on the other side of the building. I miss you.

Love, Charlie

========================================================================

Jody smiled at Cooper's consideration and blushed at Charlie's open gushing.

She made herself a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich and ate it. Then she went into her room and got undressed. She was looking through her closet in only her underwear when Cooper came into the apartment. Jody didn't hear him and continued to look through her closet. She chose to wear a dress that was cut off just below the shoulders on her date with Charlie that night. She took the dress out of the closet and lied it neatly on the bed. She unhooked her bra and dropped it on the floor. Jus then, Cooper walked into the room.


	5. Part 1: The Move

Chapter 5: The Move

Charlie drove home in his new blue car. It wasn't a convertible or anything fancy, but it was still nice. He drove up in front of the apartment building and looked up at the window he knew looked into Jody's room. He could she her yelling at a tall, slender figure, probably Cooper. Charlie quickly parked his car in the parking garage and took the elevator up to the 6th floor. He reached the door and took out his key.

He ran into Jody's room and saw both Jody and Cooper crying and yelling at each other. "STOP IT!!" Charlie yelled. "If me going out with Jody and you two breaking up is going to cause this much trouble, then screw the idea! It's obvious you guys love each other more than you know, or more than you are willing to admit. Hug, kiss, whatever, just make up and get back together. I'm going to go rent a hotel room for the night. Good night, and don't try and change my mind!" Charlie said, and stormed out of their room and locked himself into his. He quickly packed a small suitcase for the night.

When he came out, he saw Jody and Cooper making out on the couch. He sighed, grabbed his coat, and left. He put his small suitcase into the passenger seat of his new car and drove off. He found a hotel within ten minutes, and got a room there. He took a shower and got settle into the double bed. He turned on the tv and watched reruns of 70s tv comedy shows until he fell asleep.

He woke up the next morning around 10 am. He paid the hotel and drove back to the apartment. He knew that neither Jody nor Cooper would be home at this time, so he felt better about going back. When he got there, he packed up his 4 suitcases and put them in his car. He ran back to apartment to leave Jody a quick note.

========================================================Dear Jody,

I'm glad that you and Cooper got back together. I'm sorry about what I put you both through. I was just being extremely selfish. Sorry again. I'm going to go back home. Call me someday, and maybe we'll be able to get together again in the future. Bye. I still love you, Jody.

Love,

Charlie

========================================================

He placed the note on the clipboard on the back of the door, where he knew that Jody would find it. He kissed Jody's pillow, and then left.

He drove the whole 9 hours back to his old apartment. He went inside and looked around, same as he had left it. He hadn't packed any furniture, he also hadn't sold the apartment, in case something this happened.

He lay down on his own familiar bed and fell asleep immediately.

When her woke up the next morning, there was a new message on his answering machine. He pressed play and listened.

"Charlie? Hey, it's Jody. How are you? We miss you already. Cooper says "Hi", and he says that he's very sorry for the punch in the nose. We miss you a lot, so come visit us soon. Oh, and Charlie, you weren't being selfish. Well, call me. Bye. Love ya. Bye, Jody."

Charlie smirked to himself, rolled his eyes, and ate his breakfast. Ten minutes later, his phone rang.

"Hello? Charlie here." he said.

"Hi. It's me." Jody's voice said. She was crying.

"Jody? What's wrong?" Charlie asked, concerned.

"Charlie. I miss you. I love you. Please come back."

"Look, Jody. I can't. If I come back, then I hurt you and Cooper. If I don't come, back, I hurt you any way. Sorry, but there is no good way out of this. But I don't want to hurt anymore people than I have to, so I'm going to stay here. Please don't cry. I'll visit.' Charlie said, and then hung up in a hurry. He sighed and watched 3 hours of tv.

Then his phone rang.

"Hello?" Charlie said, turning off the tv.

"Hey Charlie. It's Cooper. I just wanted to say thanks. For Jody and all, she realized that she loved me, so we are back together. I'm not bragging or anything, I'm jus thanking you. Well, I gotta run. Bye."

"Bye." Charlie said, and they both hung up. Charlie sighed again and went back to watching tv.

***************************** 3 Years Later ******************************

Charlie woke up early on Saturday. Still wearing his boxers, he stretched and ate a banana.

His phone rang. He wondered who would call him at 6 in the morning.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Charlie!" the voice squeaked.

"Jody?" Charlie asked.

"Yes!"

"Hey! Wow, you haven't called me since I moved out." Charlie said, remembering the event and getting a little sad.

"Oh, yeah." Jody said, frowning. But she quickly brightened up again. "How soon can you get out here?" she asked.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm getting married!" Jody squeaked. "And you're invited to the wedding. How soon can you get out here? Or, do you even want to come?" Jody asked hopefully.

"Well, I mean, if you are gonna marry Cooper, I don't think I want to came, it'd just be depressing."

"I'm not." Jody explained.

"You're not what?"

"I'm not marring Cooper." Jody said.


	6. Part 1: The Review

Chapter 6: The Review

Charlie packed up 2 suitcases for the trip. He was going to go visit Jody, and to see her get married. He picked them up and put them into his car that he had bought last time he went to visit Jody, three years ago. He didn't like thinking about that trip very much, so he shook off the memories he was every time he looked at his blue car. He went back and left a message on his mother's answering machine.

"Hello. You have reached Diana at home. I'm not home but you know me! I'll call you right back if you leave your name, a message, and your number. Bye now!….. BEEP!!"

"Hey Mom. It's Charlie. I won't be home for a couple of weeks. I'm going to go to a friend's wedding. I'll call you when I get back. Love you. Charlie."

Charlie hung up the phone and grabbed his coat. He locked his apartment door and went to his car. He drove 20 minutes to the airport. He parked his car in the long-term parking lot and took his bags out. He got the keys out and locked his car. He dragged his bags to where the little trolley thing picked you up and took you to the airport. He only had to wait 2 minutes before the trolley thing pulled up. He and another man with only 1 suitcase went on with their bags.

He got off at the second stop and went inside the enormous airport. He got his ticket and waited for his plane to be called. When it was, he boarded and sat down in his first class seat. He and Jody had arranged to split the cost of his seat, because he had to fly 3 hours on one plane.

He waited about 45 minutes, for everyone to board, for the plane to lift off. The seat next to him was empty. He listened to music when they said the passengers could turn on their electronics.

More than 3 hours later, he got off the plane. Eva and Erik, who he hadn't seen in almost 6 years, greeted him. Eva was black and had been one of Jody's old roommates, along with Maureen, and she was very independent. Erik was also black. He was gay, and been one of Charlie's roommates, along with Sergei. They all hugged each other. Eva explained that Sergei and was at Jody's apartment with Maureen and her husband, Jim, Jody, and Jody's fiancée. Charlie smiled and they went to get his 2 suitcases.

They hailed a cab and got in. When they reached the apartment building they got out and stood outside of it. Charlie looked up the building, his mind suddenly flooded with memories. Eva smiled at Charlie's nervousness and grabbed his free hand. "Come on!" she said. Charlie followed her, carrying one of his suitcases, Erik followed him, carrying the other.

They took the elevator up to the 6th floor. When they reached Jody's door, Eva took Charlie's bad from him. Charlie took this opportunity to turn around and run. He ran down the hallway and all the way down to the first floor. He ran outside and sat down on the sidewalk curb, trying to breathe. After about a half an hour later Jody sat down next to him.

Charlie stood up and looked at her. She wasn't wearing any make-up, but her face shinned and her eyes sparkled. "If you only knew." Charlie thought. Jody stood up and hugged him. Charlie hugged back and said nothing.

"How are you?" Jody said.

"Ok. I haven't seen you in so long though."

"Oh yeah. Sorry about that. I meant to call you, but so much happened to me. I didn't have any time to call you. I did miss you though."

"That's ok." Charlie said. "So, what kept you so busy?"

"Well, about 4 months after you left……………

_"Cooper, please don't go!" Jody called from her room._

"I have to. My company is moving, and I have to move with it. Besides, I don't love you anymore. Not like that at least. You know that."

"I know! I know! I don't love you anymore either. But you are my friend, and I will miss you."

Jody and Cooper met out in the main room and hugged.

"I'll miss you too." Cooper said.

Jody helped Cooper load all of his stuff into his car. They hugged and kissed a painful good-bye, and then Cooper drove off. Just like Charlie.

Jody went back to her apartment and sat down on the couch. She sighed. She had enough money to pay the rent on the apartment for the next 2 months. But by the end of that time, she needed either to find a cheaper apartment or find a new roommate.

She couldn't ask Maureen, because she was married to Jim. She couldn't ask Eva, because she and Erik lived together. Jody sighed again.

She had already auditioned for a new ballet company, and had gotten in.

She thought of Sergei. She could ask Sergei to be her roommate. Jody decided not to, because she figured he was probably living with, if not married to, his girlfriend Galina. That was if they hadn't broken up. Jody hadn't spoken to Sergei in several years, so she called him.

"Hello?" Sergei's sweet, familiar Russian accent answered.

"Sergei? It's Jody."

"Jody? Hey! How are you?"

"I'm good." Jody said.

"Are you still going out with Charlie?"

"Uh, no. We broke up. Then I went out with Cooper. But we broke up about a month ago. So, are you still going out with Galina?"

"No. We broke up 2 years ago. It was pretty harsh."

"Oh, sorry about that." Jody said, sympathetically.

"No, it's ok. Really."

Jody smiled. "So, who are you living with now then?"

"No one. I had to move into a smaller place, and I hate it."

Jody smiled more. "Well, Cooper moved out today. So, I have an extra room, if you're interested."

"That sounds great!" Sergei exclaimed.

The two talked for a couple more hours, working out the details.

4 weeks later, Sergei pulled up into the parking lot. Jody raced out and hugged him. They unpacked all of Sergei's stuff that day, and talked away at dinner.

Sergei and Jody were roommates for 3 months before they started dating. After a year, they fell in love, and after another year, Sergei proposed. Jody said yes.

……… 2 moths later I called you and presto!" Jody said.

"Oh." Charlie said.

They got up and went back up to the apartment and greeted everyone. Charlie hugged Maureen (who had beaten her anorexia with the help of Jim, and looked much healthier) and Jim. Then he went over to Sergei. He hugged and congratulated him. All 7 of them went out to dinner and talked forever about memories.

"Oh, oh!" Eva said, "Remember Erik's birthday?"

"Yeah." everyone said, starting to laugh. Suddenly everyone shut up, remembering the whole Charlie/Jody thing that was going on at that time. Charlie knew why it got silent so fast and looked down at his soda.

"But remember that night we went to the club?" Eva asked.

"Yeah." Jody said. She looked over at Charlie and blushed. Then she looked over at her fiancée and laughed. "Hey Sergei, remember that night?" she teased.

Sergei blushed, remembering the older woman he had danced with all night.

"Oh, and remember the day after?" Erik added.

Everyone laughed except for Maureen and Jim, who had missed out on the water fight, and Charlie. Charlie excused himself from the table. Jody got off of Sergei's lap and chased after him. Sergei stood up and moved to follow, but changed his mind and sat back down.

Charlie walked into the mens' bathroom and locked himself in one of the stalls. He put the lid down and sat. Jody saw him and stood outside the door waiting. After 10 minutes she knocked on the door. When no one answered, she walked in. She checked under the stalls, only one had a person in it, Charlie.

"Charlie?" Jody asked as she locked the main door.

"Jody?" Charlie asked, surprised.

"Yes. Look, Charlie-"

"What?" Charlie asked, coming out of the stall. When Jody didn't answer right answer right away he unlocked the door and left. Jody followed him out and saw him leave the restaurant.

She walked over to where he was sitting on a bench out on the sidewalk. "Look, Charlie-" Jody began again.

"No, Jody. I can't do this. I can barley stand being around you as it is. I don't know if I could stand you getting married. I have to go home. Now."

"Again?" Jody asked, looking sad.

"What else is there to do? If I stay, everyone will get their heart broken, we all know it."

"You know what Charlie?" Jody asked, "I'm glad you're leaving. I invited you because you make me happy. You are supposed to make to me happy! But all you've done is made me miserable. Go, leave, now! I don't care!" Jody shouted. She got up and went back inside

Charlie got up a few minutes later and looked in the window. He saw Jody sitting comfortably on Sergei's lap, laughing her head off with everyone else. He sighed and started walking to Jody's.


	7. Part 1: The Breakup

Chapter 7: The Breakup

Charlie arrived at his apartment the next day. As soon as he walked in the door the phone rang. He put down his suitcases by the door and picked up the phone.

"It's Charlie." he said.

"Charlie, it's Sergei. I'll pay for first class plane tickets both ways if you come back to see me get married."

"I can't. I'll screw everything up. I know it. You know it. Jody knows it. We all know it. You to are in love. Only I and maybe Cooper can break you too up. I don't want to ruin your life. Especially not Jody's, not again. I can't." 

"Yeah, we all know it. We've all known it since ABA. You, Jody, and Cooper are impossible together. But trust me, you won't screw it all up. Please come."

"Ok." Charlie said after a while.

"When can you leave?"

"Now." Charlie said, thinking of how ironic this whole thing was. It was also a big waste of time and money.

"Ok." Sergei said.

They hung up a few minutes later.

Charlie picked his bags back up and left again.

Several hours later, Jody and Sergei waited outside the gate in the airport for Charlie. What seemed like a million people cam out, but not Charlie. They began to panic. Had he changed his mind? Missed his flight? Suddenly Charlie walked out of the door and looked around.

He didn't see them at first and began to panic himself. He saw them out of the corner of his eye and smiled. He ran over to them and hugged them both.

Jody watched him run over and when she hugged him she felt the magic she only felt with him. She quickly shook the feeling off and grabbed Sergei's hand. A shiver ran up her spine, but not the 'magic' shiver. She sighed and picked up one of Charlie's bags.

Charlie grabbed it back and smiled. "That's ok."

Sergei grabbed Charlie's other bag and they went to Sergei's car. They drove to their apartment where everyone was waiting. Charlie blushed and suddenly became very nervous and embarrassed. A few minutes after he got over it, Eva started cracking up and could not stop. Everyone else just looked at her with totally confused faces.

After she settled down everyone asked her all at once what was so funny.

"Charlie!" she said, trying not to start laughing again. She was going to add more, but then she glanced up at Charlie who was looking at her with mad, fiery eyes. She quickly shut up and said, "So, anyone for dinner?"

"Eva, it's only 3." Jody said, looking at Charlie. She couldn't figure out what was so funny about the hot guy standing next to her.

Charlie started fidgeting and suddenly wanted to kill Eva. Instead, he turned to Sergei, too embarrassed to turn to Jody or anyone else. "So, do you have room for me here or should I rent a hotel room?"

Sergei nodded. "You can stay in the guest room because Eva and Erik already are staying in a hotel."

Charlie mentally kicked both himself and Sergei for being such idiots. How on Earth was this supposed to work out? Last time he had stayed in the guestroom, he had broken up Jody and Cooper and broken 3 different hearts, each more than once. He sighed and put his bags in the guestroom.

When he came back out, he saw Eva whispering something to Erik. Erik looked at Charlie and muffled a laugh with his hand. Charlie rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch. Eva put her hand on his knee and patted it. "Sorry." she said apologetic and sympathetically.

Everyone else started talking and Charlie turned to Eva. "What the hell did I do that was so funny?"

Eva took a deep breath and whispered something his ear for almost 2 minutes. When she was done, he looked at her. She nodded and his eyes got as big as tennis balls. He turned away and blinked.

Charlie sat paralyzed on the couch for a while until he could breathe normally again. By then Jody and Sergei had locked themselves in their room. They were having an argument, but no one could tell what it was about, because the door muffled and slurred their voices.

Charlie stood up and strained to hear what they were saying, but like everyone else, all he heard was mumbling.

" ****** married **************** Sergei ******* love *****." Jody said.

" ************ say *********** flirt ********** left ************ you ************ know ********* dated ******** ABA ********* left ********** right ******** again ********** stupid ************* Charlie ****************** fish ************* miserable ********** Charlie ******** twenty ******* day!" Sergei said.

After a while they all gave up on trying to understand the argument. At least the had figured out it was about Charlie.

Charlie sulked around the room for a while, and then went and sat out in the hall. Eva joined him a while later to cheer him up, followed by Erik, Maureen, and then Jim. After a while Maureen went back inside to leave Jody and Sergei a note that said that they were going out for a walk and would be back after dinner.

They all took a walk around the city and talked about ballet and other things. They went by a park and went in. Everyone went on the swings, except Charlie, who sat down on a bench to think. He remembered the day in the park with Jody from the picture. He got lost in his memories until Erik shook him.

"Yo Charlie! We are leaving now. Are you coming?" Erik asked.

"Yeah. Sorry." Charlie said, embarrassed. He got up and they all left the park.

They went to a Burger King for dinner, but everyone except Jim and Maureen (who shared a double cheeseburger) ended up getting salads. 

After dinner, they all went back to Jody's place, where Sergei was locked in his room and Jody was locked in the bathroom. Charlie looked around and sighed about the mess he'd made this time. He said good-bye to Eva, Erik, Maureen, and Jim, who were all going to the hotel. Then he locked himself into his room. He changed into boxers and crawled into the familiar bed.

He fell asleep instantly but was woken up a few hours later by a soft knock on his door. He got up and opened his door. It was Jody.

"Sergei is impossible to wake up and he locked the door. I can't sleep on the couch tonight, because I have a big class tomorrow. So, I was wondering if I could crash in here." Jody said.

Charlie took this all in and thought about it for a minute. Eventually he said, "Ok."

Jody walked into the room and thanked him. Charlie nodded and walked out of the room, into the main room. He lay down on the couch and fell asleep within seconds.

Jody sighed and crawled into the bed. The sheet was warm where Charlie had been sleeping, and she moved over to that spot and fell asleep thinking about Charlie and Sergei.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Two weeks later Sergei moved out of the apartment and back to California, where he later married Galina.

Charlie sat on the couch and watched Sergei leave. Jody came out from the bedroom. She sighed and Charlie stood up and hugged her.

"I told you I'd screw it all up. Not even one day went by before I screwed up your marriage. I'm sorry Jody. I tried really hard not to." Charlie said.

"Charlie! It's not your fault. Really. I saw how hard you tried not to mess it up, you didn't even flirt with me. I should even thank you. If I had married Sergei, we would have found out the hard way that it was a mistake."

Charlie smiled. "Ok, if you say so. Sooooooo…….. now what?"

Jody shrugged. "We could go out sometime." She said, quoting Charlie from years before.

"Don't even joke." Charlie said, smiling at first, but then letting it fade.

"I'm not. Charlie, I….. I….. I love you. Charles Sims, you are the sweetest guy I have ever met. You were sweet to me from the moment we met. At the salsa club, at the park, even just hanging out. From Cooper the first time, and last time, to Sergei. How could anyone not love you."

Charlie turned bright red and looked at Jody's eyes and they were smiling at him. Charlie smiled and kissed her.


	8. Part 1: The End

****

Chapter 8: The End

3 years later, Charlie sat nervously on the floor in the main room of the apartment. He and Jody were playing Scrabble. Jody was sitting across the table from Charlie. She formed the word "Cooper" and Charlie looked up at her.

"Is that some kind of hint?" Charlie asked Jody.

"No. I just didn't have any other tiles." Jody said honestly. Charlie smiled and formed the word "Love" and looked up at Jody. Jody smiled and said, "Me too."

Charlie became even more nervous. He put his hand in his pocket and played with what he had put in it earlier that day. Jody formed the word "Umbrella" and looked at Charlie.

"Are you ok?" she asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Charlie said.

He formed the word "Marriage" and took a point marker out of the box.

Jody laughed and looked at Charlie. When he didn't laugh, she looked at him confused. "Charlie?" she said, when he didn't respond.

Charlie swallowed the lump in throat and picked up the Scrabble board. He moved it on to the floor and sat down on the table. Jody got up and sat on the couch. She didn't actually think that Charlie was going to propose. She just figured it was going to be another of Charlie's sweet talks were he said he loved her more than life. She smiled as Charlie kissed her lightly on the check. 

Charlie pushed the table back and got down on one knee. Jody gasped and smiled weakly.

Charlie took out a small black box from his pocket. He snapped it open, revealing a beautiful gold ring with a diamond on it. "Jody Sawyer, I love you." Charlie said, trying to fight his sudden urge to cry, "I only want to spend the rest of my life with one person, you. Jody, will you marry me?" Charlie was so nervous he thought he might faint.

Jody looked at the ring, and then at Charlie. She couldn't believe it. She was so excited she thought she was going to fall off the edge of the couch. She pressed her hand on the couch to steady herself. "Yes, Charles Sims, I will marry you and spend the rest of my life with you. I love you Charlie." She said.

Charlie took the ring out of the box and gently put it on Jody's finger. He smiled at her beautiful hand with her new beautiful ring. Jody admired her hand as well. Then they got up and hugged. They kissed Charlie took her out to dinner at the nicest restaurant in the city and they had a wonderful dinner.

When they got home, Charlie changed into his boxers and Jody changed into sleeping boxer shorts and a small sleep tube top.

Charlie crawled into bed. Jody crawled in after him and curled up next to him. Suddenly Charlie sat up.

" Are you ok?" Jody asked him.

"Yes. No. I don't know. It's just, what if something happens? I mean something like what happened with me. What if someone comes and breaks us up? It's not impossible, it's happened before, twice in the last 6 years. I know I'm not gonna break us up, but what if Cooper does? Or even Sergei?" Charlie said.

"Charlie, don't be silly. The only reason we all broke up was because it wasn't the real thing. But it is now. No one can break us up. Especially not Sergei, because he married Galina. Cooper isn't even a small problem anymore. No one, not even the disastrous Cooper Neilson, can break me up with my fiancée."

"Which fiancée?" Charlie asked.

"Charlie! What's your problem? You just proposed! Shouldn't you be happy?"

"I don't know. I just, it's so hard. I want to believe you, I really do, but past experiences have always gotten to me. You know that."

"I know. I understand completely." Jody said sweetly.

Charlie smiled at his beautiful fiancée and his heart melted. He hugged her, and then they fell asleep.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Charlie turned and kissed his new wife. They smiled at each other and walked down the aisle. 

After pictures with everyone (The Best Man- Erik, Groomsmen- Cooper and Sergei. The Maid of Honor- Eva, Bridesmaids- Maureen and Galina.), they went off to the reception.

Charlie and Jody Sims danced their first dance together after the dinner.

Jody danced one song with Sergei as Charlie danced with Galina. "If I Were The One", from the ABA workshop came on and before Charlie could get to Jody, Cooper asked her to dance. Jody looked over at Charlie, who nodded sadly. Jody danced with Cooper, but then danced all the other songs with Charlie, except two, when she danced with her dad, and Charlie's dad.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

When they got back from their honeymoon, they had a big party with Sergei, Galina, Maureen, Jim, Erik, Eva, and Cooper. They all went to the same club they had more than 10 years ago.

Jody danced with Charlie the whole night, just like last time. Erik danced with Eva the whole time again, but Sergei danced with Galina, and not some drunken older woman. Maureen danced with Jim, and Cooper went around and hit on younger girls.

They all left together in 2 cabs, except Cooper, and went to Charlie and Jody's apartment. They stood around talking for a while, and then Charlie ran into his room to get something.

He returned several minutes later, holding some photos. He came up and stood behind Jody, wrapping his arms around her waist. She took the pictures and looked at them.

There was the one of them in the park, and the one of all of them on the boat to the Statue of Liberty from Erik's birthday. There were some of the wedding pictures and a picture Jody hadn't seen in 10 years.

It was of Charlie, standing on the steps leading to ABA. Jody was standing, hidden behind Charlie. She had her arms under Charlie's, making it look like Charlie had 4 arms. Charlie was making "peace" signs with his hands, and so was Jody.

Eva had taken that picture the fourth day of ABA, when Charlie and Jody were, literally, still just friends.

Jody smiled and passed the pictures to Eva. She shuffled through them, and stopped at the one of Charlie on the steps. 

"Oh my God!" she squeaked. She passed the pictures around, making sure everyone saw the one of the steps.

Sergei looked at the pictures and said, "You could even tell then that they would end up together. Just look at them!" Everyone laughed and went on talking.

At 4 in the morning, they all eventually said good-bye and left. About 10 minutes later Cooper walked into their apartment.

"I just wanted to say good-bye before I left to go back home tomorrow, because my flight leaves really early." he said.

Jody hugged him good-bye and he kissed her on the check. Jody could feel Charlie's eyes on her. She turned around and walked back to her husband. "Are you going to say good-bye?" she asked.

Charlie stiffly walked over to Cooper and shook his hand. "Bye."

"Are you ever going to get over that shit?" he asked as he hugged Charlie good-bye. Charlie smiled and hugged Cooper back. Jody smiled and finally knew that her life was perfect.

()()()()()^^^^^*****^^^^^()()()()()^^^^^*****^^^^^()()()()()

If you don't think that this story is finished, e-mail me or say that on your review, and I'll try to add more. But I have to tell you, I wrote this whole story in 5 days, and thinking of this complicating stuff to torture Charlie isn't all that easy. I love Sascha Radetsky (Charlie Sims) and Ethan Stiefel (Cooper Neilson). C-Ya. Please read and review, and if you haven't seen "Center Stage", GO GET IT NOW!!!!!


	9. Part 2: The News

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jody Sims sat alone on her bed. She was waiting nervously for the phone to ring. "Ring! Ring already! Ring! Please? Ring!" She said to no one. Charlie was still at ABC for a special meeting or something. Jody hadn't been told all the details- mainly because Charlie didn't know himself. Jody waited. She picked up a pillow and fluffed it. Then she fluffed the other 3. She went around the room and opened all the drawers. Then she went around and shut them all again. She was so bored and so nervous she thought she was going to go insane. Finally it rang. Jody sprang to the phone and picked up. In her excitement she dropped it. She picked it back and slammed it up against her face.

"Hello?" Jody said.

"Jody?"

"Yes!?!"

Jody talked to the person on the other line a few minutes before hanging up. She placed the phone slowly and gently back onto the phone cradle and pressed down on it. Then she jumped out of her room and started running laps around her apartment, screaming. Just as Jody passed the door, it opened, knocking her to the floor. Charlie looked down at her and picked her up as if she was his new bride. He spun her around and then put her down on the couch.

"What were you doing?" He asked.

"I was, uh, running victory laps." Jody explained, trying not to laugh. But suddenly she felt like crying.

"Why?"

"I got the call."

Charlie's eyes opened wide and he smiled. "Yeah? And?"

"YES!!!" Jody exclaimed, starting to cry. She wrapped her arms around Charlie and he picked her up again. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he spun around a few times before putting her down on the floor.

"I can't believe it!" Charlie said, feeling tears forming in his own eyes.

"I know!" Jody said as they hugged again. She pulled back and looked at Charlie's face that now had tears running down it. "Oh, honey!" She said as she hugged him again. She wanted to run around the whole world, she was so happy.

Charlie looked into Jody's eyes and he wanted to die. He loved her so much and he was just so happy. He thought he might die from all the excitement. Jody looked at Charlie and smiled. She kissed him and then stood up.

"We have to go out to celebrate!" Charlie said,

"Ok!"

A few minutes later Jody and Charlie were running down the hallway. One of their neighbors stuck his head out the door. "What's up?" He asked.

**"WE'RE PREGNANT!!!" **They both exclaimed.


	10. Part 2: The Other News

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Jody got home from dinner with Charlie and called her parents.**

"Hello?" Mrs. Sawyer answered.

"Mom!" Jody exclaimed.

"Jody! Hi! How are you?"

"Ok. Guess what?"

"What?" Mrs. Sawyer asked.

"I'm pregnant!" There was silence on the other end of the phone line. "Mom? Did you hear me?"

"Yes, dear, of course. That's wonderful, honey, just great!"

"Are you ok? You don't sound to sure."

"I just, are you ready for this Jody?"

"Mom! Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're still too young!"

"I'm 31! And Charlie's 32! What's too young about that?"

"I don't know honey. I had you when I was 26 and I know I wasn't ready."

"But I'm 5 years older than that, mom!"

"I know sweetie, I know."

"Mom! This is supposed to be a wonderful thing! You're supposed to be happy for me! Whatever happened to that?"

"I am! I'm very happy for you can't you tell?"

"No. Look, I have to go, I think Charlie needs me. Bye!"

"Bye!" Mrs. Sawyer said.

Jody hung up and looked at Charlie. "That was a big mistake! She thinks I'm too young! You know, it supposed to be a great big happy think when someone has a baby. You know, Baby's Showers and all, but not to my mom. No! It's all 'You're to young!' and shit!"

Charlie hugged her. He kissed her forehead softly. "I'm sorry. If you want, we can call my parents! I'm sure they'll be happy! Or Eva! Or Erik! Or Sergei and Galina! Anyone!"

Jody looked up at her husband. He was so sweet. "Ok. Let's call your parents first. You're having a baby too, even if it's not coming out of you!" Jody laughed.

Charlie picked up the phone and dialed. He handed the phone to Jody and she waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?" Mrs. Sims answered.

"Hello Mrs. Sims! It's Jody!"

"Oh, hi! How are you and Charlie?"

"Okay. Um, I have some big news though!"

"What?" Mrs. Sims asked, smiling.

"I'm, I'm pregnant!"

There was no pause. "Oh my God! Congratulations! I can't believe it! I'm going to be a Grandmother! Jody, that's wonderful!"

Jody smiled at Charlie and handed him the phone.

"Hi Mom! …Yeah I know! … Yes, Very! … Okay, Bye!" He said. He hung up the phone and turned back to Jody. "See? I think she might explode she'd so happy!"

Jody laughed and looked at the phone in Charlie's hand. She held out her own hand and Charlie placed the phone into it. She took it and stood up. "I'll be right back." She said and went out into the main room. She locked her self into the small walk in closet and pulled the chain to turn on the light. She sat down in the far right corner and hid behind a bunch of clothes, hoping Charlie wouldn't be able to hear.

She knew that Cooper and Charlie weren't really all that competitive anymore, but she still worried about them sometimes. That's why she felt she had to call Cooper from inside a small closet. She pushed the dial button and dialed the number she knew by heart.

"Hello?" Cooper's voice answered. He sounded like he had half-chewed food in his mouth.

"Cooper? Swallow!" Jody said. She could hear a big gulp.

"Jody?!?"

"Yes."

"Hi! How come you're calling? What's up?"

"I just thought you should know, since you were such a big part of my life and all."

"What? Did Charlie die or something?"

"No!" Jody laughed.

"Then what?"

"I'm pregnant!" Jody exclaimed, suddenly wondering if this was such a god idea. She was leaning towards not before Cooper said anything.

"Oh my God, Jody! That's fantastic! I, I can't believe it! When did you find out?"

"Earlier today."

"That's so great Jody!" Cooper said again. Jody could hear a faint voice on Cooper's end. "Coop! Why did you leave me? I'm cold! Come cover me up, please!"

"Cooper? I think someone wants you in the bedroom!" Jody said, trying not to laugh.

Cooper snickered. "Uh, yeah. Well, congrats again! Bye!"

"Bye!" Jody said.

She hung up the phone and sat there, leaned up against the wall for a minute before standing up. She unlocked the door and opened it. Charlie jumped back and flew to the couch. Jody looked at him and smiled. "You can't hid it."

Charlie smiled. "I know. But you don't have to do that. I'm okay with Cooper, ok? We are married, and that's all that matters to me. Cooper can't break us up now, he never did before.

Jody thought about how Cooper had broken them up before, but didn't say anything. "If you say so."

Charlie looked at her for a second, trying to figure out something. "Unless-"

"Don't say it Charlie! Don't even think it! It's not worth getting into."

"So it's true?"

"What?"

"That when you broke up with me the first time. It was for Cooper."

"Well, I was stupid. It was stupid. And I came back to you didn't I?"

"Well, yeah, I guess." Charlie said smiling. He stood up and kissed Jody. "We're having a baby!" He said. Jody smiled and kissed him back.

A few minutes later the phone rang.

"Hello?" Jody answered.

"Jody?" the voice asked, crying.

"Eva? What's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant!"


	11. Part 2: The Insane

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"What??" Jody exclaimed into the phone. Charlie moved to come over to her, but she shooed him out of the room. He agreed and left without complaint.

"You heard me. Pregnant."

"What? How? Who? When? What?

"Pregnant. Sex. Erik. I don't know the exact date. Pregnant."

"Whoa, wait! Erik? Erik Jones? Erik "O" Jones got you pregnant? I thought he was gay!"

"He is! But we both wanted kids. So, we just, tried. And it worked."

"Then why are you crying? If you got what you wanted?"

"I'm scared! What's going to happen? What if something happens? What's going to happen to the baby? And if nothing happens, it won't be normal. It will have a mom, and a gay dad. That's not normal! It will get teased and everything! We made its life miserable! Why didn't we think of all this before??"

"It's okay! Calm down!"

"Easy for you to say, you don't have to deal with all this shit!"

"Well, maybe not a gay father of my child, but Eva? I'm pregnant too!"

"What? When?"

"I found out earlier today! It's with Charlie, of course, but I can see why you're upset."

"What am I going to do??"

"Well, maybe it will be a miscarry!"

"No! It's not. It's to healthy to die, and it has a gay father!"

"That shouldn't matter. As long as you and Erik love it, it will all be fine! No one will know anyway. It's not that big."

Eva took a deep breath. "I don't know. I just, this is stupid. Erik is my best friend in the whole world. So we had a kid, how much fun will this be? This will be great! It's fine! I'm okay."

Jody smiled. "Eva, I'm really sorry, but I have to go. Me and Charlie have to go call everyone else and tell them. But congrats, okay? It will be fine! Trust me. Bye!"

"See ya Jody!"

Jody hung up and opened the door. Charlie was sitting on the couch, flipping through TIME magazine. "Please! Who was it?"

"Eva. She's pregnant too."

"Charlie flung the magazine across the room and stood up. "WHAT??"

"Whoa Charlie, chill out. She's pregnant."

"With who?"

"Erik." Jody explained.

"Erik Jones?"

"Yeah, funny isn't it?"

"I guess, more weird. But what would you expect from them? They practically bathe together anyway. They live together, why wouldn't this happen?"

"Charlie? Are you okay?"

"Nope. I can't think straight at all. Because I'M HAVING A BABY!!" Charlie said. He picked Jody up and spun her around.

"How many times are you going to do that in one day?"

"I don't know. But I will until you and our baby get to fat to lift."

"Charlie! That was rude!"

Charlie smiled and put her down. "I'm sorry. But I told you, I can't think clearly."

"Are you gonna be this way for the next 9 months? All of them? The whole way?"

"No. At some point I'll go totally insane and I won't be able to think at all."

Jody smiled and kissed Charlie.


	12. Part 2: The Chicken Names

Chapter 12 ****

Chapter 12

A few months later…

Jody rushed around the kitchen of the house she and Charlie had bought a while back, trying to make dinner. She was almost in tears and Charlie went to comfort her, but she pulled away in a fit.

"Don't touch me Charlie! I don't have time, ok? I still have to make dinner and eat it and clean up and then I have to call Eva, I haven't talked to the poor thing in 2 weeks and I'm just exhausted!" Jody said, still rushing around. She burned herself and screamed out in anger. She slammed her back against the door of the fridge and slid down to the floor in sobs.

Charlie looked around, trying to figure out what to do. "Mmm… well, it certainly smells great, what are you making?"

Jody sniffed and looked up at Charlie. "I was TRYING to make chicken."

"But I can't even really eat chicken." Charlie said without thinking.

Jody closed her eyes and cried harder.

Charlie sighed and sat down next to Jody. He hugged her and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry. Look, I'll eat the chicken and I'm sure it will be wonderful."

Jody shook her head. "I just REALLY wanted chicken… but I messed up and it's ruined."

"Oh, are you sure?"

Jody nodded and wiped her eyes.

"Well, you want me to go get you some chicken nuggets or something from Burger King??"

Jody smiled and kissed. "What would I ever do without you?"

"Probably go off and marry Cooper." Charlie joked.

"Uh! Never!" Jody rested her head up on the fridge as Charlie got up.

He kissed her one last time and then left. Jody got up stiffly and wandered over to the couch. She picked up the baby name book and flipped through that for about the 100th time that week. As they finished their dinner later that night, Charlie and Jody started throwing names at each other.

"Well, I always liked Stephanie." Jody said.

"Melanie."

"Samantha."

"Britney?" Charlie offered.

"Eh, it's ok. But what if it's a boy?"

"Charlie."

"Cooper."

"Charlie!"

"What about Kyle?"

"Charlie…" Charlie sang under his breath as he took a bite.

Jody giggled. "Charlie Jr.? I don't think so."

"Better than Cooper." Charlie smiled.

"Erik."

"Jim."

"Jonathan."

"Sergei!" Charlie started to laugh.

"Ok, ok, that was stupid. Joey?"

"Todd."

"Sam."

"Jesse."

"Noah."

Charlie looked up at Jody. "Noah Sims… I like it."

"Noah James?"

Charlie nodded and pointed at Jody. "Oh yeah, that's the one!"

Jody smiled and finished off her dinner. "Emily?"

"Jody."

"Jody Jr.? Ew!"

"Yeah… Eva."

"Galina."

"Kathleen."

"Maureen."

"Juliette."

Jody giggled again. "Ok, ok, now seriously… Annette?"

"Humph! Tracy?"

"Meagan."

"Caitlin."

"Mary."

"Tricia."

"Tricia… I love it!" Jody said.

"Tricia… middle name… Sims."

Jody smiled and went to throw away her trash. "Tricia Maureen?"

Charlie looked up. "Tricia Renee."

"That's perfect!" Jody exclaimed and kissed her husband. "I have really got to go call Eva now."

"Ok." Charlie called as Jody walked off to their room.

***

The next day Charlie met up with Erik for lunch.

"So, how's the Mrs.?" Erik joked.

Charlie smiled. "Pretty good. Though, it's like mood swing central since she got pregnant and all."

Erik nodded and rolled his eyes. "Eva too. She's a mess. Last night she spent hours trying to make this HUGE pork thing. Looked pretty gross to me, but she ate like the WHOLE thing!!"

Charlie smiled. "Anyway, how much longer?"

"Only 3 more months… thank God!"

"Really? She can't be that bad!"

Erik shrugged. "Whatever. So, you guys come up with a name or anything yet?"

"I think… Noah James for if it's a boy. And Tricia Renee for if it's a girl."

Erik slapped his hand on the table. "You mean you dunno yet!?"

"Nah… Jody said she wanted to be surprised or something."

"I see… well we have Jamie Taylor. So no one can tell if it's a boy or a girl just by the name."

Charlie laughed. "That should be… interesting."

Just then Cooper walked in and Charlie glared at him.

"What's up with that? I thought you were cool with Cooper."

"Yeah… but I still hate him."

Cooper got his food and set it down on Charlie and Erik's table. He grabbed a chair and sat down with them. "Hey guys, what's up?"


	13. Part 2: The Double Names

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 13

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 13

Charlie helped a very pregnant Jody up the small steps leading up to their house. He unlocked the front door and they walked into the den. Jody sat down on the long couch and Charlie sat next to her.

"I love you." Charlie whispered and kissed her.

"I love you too Charlie. So, what were you saying about Cooper in the car?"

"Oh, I saw him a few months ago while I was having lunch with Erik. He just sorta intruded and went on and on for about an hour about how well his company is doing in Chicago."

"I thought he was in Chicago."

"He was, but they moved again about a year ago. Cooper said he didn't like the audiences in Ohio anyway. They said that he just didn't appreciate him. Or whatever. Something like that anyway…"

"Oh." Jody nodded. "You know, we need another name. I mean, with twins, we are definitely gonna need more than one name."

"Twins… I still can't believe it. Well, we have Noah James now… so we just need a girl's name."

"Ok. What was the girl's name we had before… Tricia Renee?"

"Yeah. Noah James and Tricia Renee… I like it. Do you?" Charlie asked.

"Yes. So, these are our kids Charlie: Noah and Tricia."

Charlie smiled and said, "Only one more month… this is unbelievable Jody."

"I know. But Eva, they have their little girl already. Isn't she cute?"

"Yeah. And Eva's a great mom according to Erik."

"I bet."

"Well… do you wanna go to bed now?"

"Sure Charlie."

Charlie helped her up the stairs and then they went to bed.


	14. Part 2: The Angels

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 14

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 14

Charlie carried his sleeping children, one in each arm, up the steps to their house, followed by Jody. He turned and watched as Jody locked the door. When she turned around, he smiled at her.

Jody walked up and took Tricia in her arms. She held the small child for a few minutes until she opened her eyes. Tricia looked up at Jody, then over at Charlie, then back at Jody, then closed her eyes again. Jody smiled at her husband and then they walked up the stairs.

They set them down in the small crib in their room and then Jody looked down.

"Hey!" She whispered. "I can see my feet again!"

Charlie smiled and wrapped her in a hug. "I love you Jody."

Jody kissed him and smiled. "I love you too Charlie… I love you too."

Charlie turned to look at the two sleeping angels.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Jody asked softly.

"Mhmmm… Tricia looks just like you."

Jody giggled. "How can you say that? You can't even see her face!"

"I know. But I'm sure she will."

Jody smiled. "Did you see Noah's eyes? They look just like yours… your perfect eyes."

Charlie stared at Jody and then kissed her. "Come on, let's go to bed."

"Alright. Everyone said that we'd never get any sleep ever again."

"I know. Let's see how far we can get."

Jody smiled and they changed and climbed into their bed.

"Charlie?"

"Yeah?"

"You can't play those old Beatles albums full blast anymore, ok?"

Charlie laughed. "Ok. Good-night Jody."

"Night Charlie."


	15. Part 2: Day One

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 15 

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 15

Jody pulled on some jeans and a large sweatshirt the next morning as Noah started crying. She walked over to the crib and picked him up.

"Shhh… Shhh…" She whispered as she ran a finger over his soft skin. She looked over at Charlie, who was just lying in their bed like a log. Jody smiled and rolled her eyes. "Your daddy is so lazy Noah… so lazy…"

Noah stopped crying and closed his eyes sleepily. Jody placed him gently next to his twin sister and went to wake up Charlie. She shook him gently, then harder.

"Charlie, Charlie! Charlie, wake up you bum… Charlie?" Jody giggled and tickled under him arm.

Charlie mumbled and rolled over. Jody climbed on top of him and slapped his face lightly a few times.

"Wake up!" She exclaimed.

Charlie opened his eyes and smiled. "Morning Beautiful."

Jody smiled and rolled off him. "Morning… handsome."

Charlie laughed and climbed out of bed.

"Oh, right… Charlie?"

"Uh huh."

"You know… I didn't really mean it the other day when I say I hated you."

Charlie turned to face her. "I know."

"Good." She kissed him gently. "Because I really do love you Charlie."

"I love you too." Charlie pushed her down on the bed and kissed her. "I love you too Jody." He tickled her and she shrieked loudly. She clamped her hand over her mouth and looked over at the crib.

"Oops!" She giggled and rolled out from underneath Charlie. "Come on Dad, let's get up."

Charlie sat on the bed for a minute, thinking about that. Jody was half way down the hallway when she realized Charlie wasn't behind her. She turned around and stood in the doorway.

"Come on Charlie!"

Charlie looked up at her. "I'll be there in a sec."

"Ok." Jody smiled and ran down the stairs.

Charlie got up and walked over to the crib. He picked up Tricia and held her gently. "Hi Tricia… I know you probably can't hear me, since you're sleeping. And even if you can hear me… you probably don't understand me… I love you." Charlie cuddled his small daughter and rocker her back and forth, humming softly.

Jody watched from the doorway and grinned. After a few minutes, Jody came up and stood next to him.

"Hey." She whispered.

Charlie smiled and wrapped an arm around her. Jody picked up Noah and smiled up at Charlie.

"Charlie… isn't this great?"

"Mhmmm…" Charlie closed his eyes and sighed happily. Jody leaned into his warm body and smiled.

~~~!!~~~

Mrs. and Mrs. Sawyer knocked on the front door to their daughter's house. The twins were 1 month old and they hadn't seen them or the new house yet.

Jody opened the door and hugged her parents. "Hi Mom, Dad! We're so glad you're here! Come on in, let me go find Charlie."

Jody was gone before her parents could say one word. They stepped inside and shut the door behind them. Charlie and Jody appeared a minute later. Charlie hugged Jody's parents and led them into the living room.

"Please, have a seat, can I get you anything?" Charlie asked.

"No, that's ok." Mrs. Sawyer sat on the couch next to her husband. She shifted positions and Jody smiled at Charlie.

"You want the tour?" She asked happily.

"Ok."

Jody and Charlie led her parents around the house, then to the upstairs.

"And this is our room…" Jody stepped inside and over to the double sized crib. "And this is Noah and Tricia."

Mrs. Sawyer raced over to the crib and looked at the sleeping twins. "Awww, Jody, they're so precious!"

Jody smiled and Charlie wrapped an arm around her.

"Can I hold one?" Mrs. Sawyer asked.

"Sure Mom."

Mrs. Sawyer picked up the one on the left and held it gently.

"That's Tricia." Charlie said.

Mr. Sawyer came up and picked up Noah, who had just woken up.

After a while, they walked back downstairs, Charlie holding Noah, and Jody carrying Tricia. They sat back down and Mrs. Sawyer took Tricia again. Charlie handed Jody Noah, and she smiled at him.


	16. Part 2: Vacation Doom

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 16 

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 16

The twins had just turned two. Jody's parents had moved to New York to be closer to all of them shortly after the twins were born. They only lived about 15 minutes away in a car.

Charlie had been sleeping in the guest bedroom for almost 5 months. He and Jody hadn't had a real conversation in even longer. They hadn't even kissed in months. Being all the way down the hallway, Charlie didn't even know that Jody cried herself to sleep every night.

One day, Jody and Charlie were visiting Jody's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer didn't know what was going on, but they had an idea that something wasn't right.

"Why don't you two leave the twins with us for a weekend so you can have some time off?" Mrs. Sawyer offered.

Jody glanced at Charlie. "That's ok mom. We couldn't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking. I'm offering. Go on, have fun. We'll be fine. Besides, you guys haven't had a real vacation in almost a year!"

"Well, I guess we could use the time to catch up on some sleep." Charlie said.

Jody looked at him, then turned back to her parents. "Alright, I never could change your minds."

"Great! How about next weekend!" Mrs. Sawyer exclaimed.

"Ok mom. But, now we really have to go. Come on Noah, Tricia." Jody picked up Tricia and headed to the door.

Charlie picked up Noah, who was screaming not to leave. "Bye." He hurried out the door to put Noah in the car. One of the only ways to stop him from screaming was to have the radio on, so Charlie quickly turned on the car.

Jody came out a minute later and set Tricia up in the second car seat. The she climbed in next to Charlie as he drove away.

"What do you think about going to the cabin for the weekend?" Charlie asked dully. His parents had a mountain cabin type thing a few hours away from their house. They used to go their all the time before they had the twins.

"Ok." Jody nodded and looked out the window, imagining the disastrous weekend they would have. Every time they talked they just started another fight.


	17. Part 2: I Love You

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 17 

Jody, Cooper, and Charlie: 17

After dropping Tricia and Noah off, Charlie and Jody left for the cabin. This week had been harder than usual, and they both were planning to just sleep the whole rest of the day.

They got to the cabin around noon. Charlie carried their bags inside. He dropped them on the floor and looked at Jody. She was just looking around, taking in the memories. She looked over at Charlie and smiled weakly.

"So… I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. Mind I just crash?" Charlie asked, already heading towards one of the bedrooms.

"Not at all, go a head. I'm gonna try and get some sleep too. I'll just be… in the other room, ok?"

"Ok." Charlie stepped into first room and shut the door.

Jody sighed and went into the other bedroom. She sat at the head of her bed and hugged her knees as she started to cry.

This was supposed to be a romantic weekend away with her husband- this man that she loved so much. But instead, it was all falling apart. She picked up the phone and called Eva.

A few minutes later Charlie walked by Jody's room on his way to the kitchen. He stopped outside when he heard Jody talking inside.

"I don't know Eva! … We don't even talk anymore! … I don't know what to do. … Divorce? … I never thought of that before, I don't wanna get a divorce! Especially not with Charlie! … The last time we kissed was like 5 months ago Eva! … But I don't want it to be over! … Ok, well, tell Erik I say hi. … Ok, bye."

Jody hung up the phone and wiped her eyes. "Oh my God, it really IS over!" She started crying again.

Charlie stood outside the door. He sighed and stepped into the room. Jody looked up and wiped her eyes again.

"Oh… hi Charlie. I… I thought you were sleeping."

"I couldn't sleep." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Jody… I really think we should talk."

Jody nodded. "Ok."

"You know, because we don't talk anymore."

Jody nodded again.

"So… what exactly… do you think is wrong here?"

Jody shrugged. "Exactly that- we don't talk. We've just both changed… and we didn't take the time to get to know each other again."

"That actually makes sense."

Jody nodded. "I've been planning that sentence out in my head for about 2 months." She smiled.

Charlie smiled and moved up to sit next to her. He wrapped an arm around her and she sighed happily.

"I've missed you Charlie. I… I don't want it to be over."

"It's not! Believe me, I'm not going anywhere. Ok?"

Jody nodded and looked into his blue eyes. He looked at her for a minute, then kissed her.

Jody smiled. "I love you Charlie."

"I love you too Jody."

They got up and went back out into the living room, where they sat down on the couch and started talking.


End file.
